Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-11-04
uTAH'S FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH.
Nearly One Thousand People over
seventy Years of Age-One Hundred
and TWENTY who Are Past Eighty

Nearly One Thousand People over
seventy Years OF Age-One Humid re a
and Twenty who Are Past Eighty
Among the curosites of Mormon
dom are its oldpeoples says Salt Lake
letter to The 81. Louis Globe Democrat.
1t is an absolute pleasure to look upon
them. Dozens of men in their eighties
may be seen on the streets every day.
Hale and hearty fellows they are. with
gray boards and broad shoulders, and
they do not appear TO be over so
Some Of them are Mormon bishops;
nearly all are elders. and not few are
poly gamists. Look at the late John
Taylor, who was four-score, and he
had seven wives. Examine the re-
cords OF the Utah penitentiary. and
there will be found many men in the
sixties who served, or are now serv-
ing. six months terms for unlawful
cohabltation Lorenzo Snow. who is
in his seventy-seventh year, was in the
pen for nine months, and might
have been there longer had not the
United States supreme court come 10
his relief and helped him out. In the
tabernacle on Sunday afternoon hun
dreds of white heads and faces sancti-
fled by age greet the eyes, and there
seems TO be great deal of truth in
what Eliza K. Snow said to me the
other day. when reference was made TO
her great age: 1--WE Mormons believe
it is our duty to live past TO-" Miss"
Snow is So, but as quick wtted and AS
active on her feet as many woman OF
less than CD. She throws off poem
occasionally. and writes a book when
ever the notion takes her. But rs |
have already written about Miss"
Snow in a previous letter, | will pass
her by with this mention Many Of
the undergraduates who have been
evading the officers Of the law for
several years past are either octogcnar-
ians or far advanced septuagenarians.
They are every bit as spry as the
younger fellows in keeping out Of the
way OF the authorities. Most Of these
old folks belong TO the pioneer days
and came TO Salt Lake valley when
there was nothing here bit sage brush
and alkali plains. Some Of them have
footed it six or seven times across what
was then the great American desert to
the Missouri river, and believe that If
there was a revelation announced to- /.
ight calling on all the 70 and 50 year
Odds in Utah TO mount shank's mare
and start for Omaha in the old primi- /
tive way. there would not be solitary |
saint or sinner among them who would /.
plead age or hesitate about going !
The majority have been and still are in
4 sense agricuturists. They have .
found Ponce de Icons fountain of (
youth in the scent of the clover fields I
and the breaths of snow that blow /
from the Wasatch mountains. They /
have led temperate, frugal lives. and I
the sap and strength OF the soil have
grown into their structure and systems 4
1t would do any body good to look at /
them And Utah is proud OF them! /
so proud thai she gives them the very /
best care and awards them the same
generous attention that petted children I
always receive
There are many pretty ideas in the
Mormon system Of religion, and one /
Of the prettiest | think is the glorious
need OF admiration for which the old /
folks come in. In addition II the care /
and attention bestowed upon them in |
the way of providing for their regular |
wants, one day each year is set apart
for them, and it is called Old Folks /
lay. The late Edward Hunter who /
was the presiding bishop Of the Mormon |
church from 1870 to 1888. and who /.
himself died N the latter year at the |
advanced age of %. conce we'd the plan /
of giving every man and woman over (
- year, OF age. in the neighDorhood of .
Salt Lake CITY, a days outing each /
ear lie instituted Old Folks day in I
1873, and it has been success ever
since The idea has been adopted in /
other parts of the territory. and lately /
some enthusiast has done vigorous
writing in behalf OF establishing
national old folk day, when the cities
Of the nation can trot out their 70-year- /
olds and let them have tile fun.
Here they have their recreation every
22l of June, which was Bishop Hunt
er's b rthday. The last time they went |
to Ogden aud spent six or seven hours /
in Is public park. with music, dancing,
refreshments, and all .he concomitants
Of picnic added to the railroad ride
VIII ch they got. There were about $50 |
Of the excursionists over 20 years of |
age, and these $50 went from Salt Lake
City and is immediate vicinity. Just
think Of it 100 out of 80. 600 people
were upward of 20 years old. One in